Naruto: Yoha
by cornonthecobert
Summary: Post-Fourth Shinobi World War AU. The war is over and that means changes. On a political level, the leaders of the Hidden Villages are approaching retirement and they need successors. On a personal level, Uzumaki Naruto has accomplished everything he set out to do originally. But with a lack of defined objectives, self reflection and doubt sets in. Does he really want to be Hokage?
1. Chapter One

_A/N: This is my first attempt at Fanfiction. I feel pretty passionate about the series and thought I'd offer up my own take on what happened after the war. Hope the use of Japanese terms so loosely isn't a turn off lol. As for the story itself, it's just a prologue for now. Very much in the early stages. Still working out some kinks in Chapter Two at the moment. Anyway, hope you enjoy :)_

 _Also, just to clarify, Yoha translates to Aftermath in Japanese. _

* * *

CHAPTER ONE

Parched throats. Hollow stomachs.

These discomforts were nothing new for the elite spies of Konohagakure no Sato: _ANBU._

On this particularly cold night in _Kagi no Kuni,_ a team of four shinobi lay in wait. A Rabbit sat at the forefront. A Badger to his rear. A Sloth flanking his left. And an Owl to his immediate right. They sat in dead silence; the occasional breeze acting as the only source of sound for hundreds of miles. The quartet, known in secretive circles as _Bu-han_ , laid in wait amongst the tall stalks of corn, hands rested on their sword hilts, anticipating the arrival of their target. Despite the cold, the three youngest members of Bu-han were drenched in sweat. Yet no words of comfort were offered. Unlike missions that they took part in as normal shinobi, ANBU operations, whether they were reconnaissance, surveillance, or combat oriented, were purely political. Any mistake could lead to serious consequences. The famed covert operations unit had the ability to topple governments and cause unrest, but also had the potential to save countless lives and prevent catastrophe. With so much riding on every movement, the pressure was mounting. One rookie however, was unwavering. His calm presence came as no surprise to his _senpai_ ; the captain of Bu-han. Looking back at his three subordinates, all veterans of the great war, he grinned beneath his mask - an all white clay mask modeled after a Rabbit. Leaving the village, he expected them to be nervous. So far they had been exemplary

His team was spread out in an anchor formation, each separated by fifteen yards.

The four men had been crouched in the corn field for well over an hour, some choosing to pass the time through meditation and others mentally walking through the key steps to the strategy they had gone over before leaving their village.

Although they each chose different methods of leisure, all four members were unified in one line of thinking. It centered around a word that had been stressed through the entirety of their six months of intense training:

 _Patience._

Reacting on impulse was nearly the worst thing an operative could do, outside of desertion. Such selfish actions threatened to put not only an end to the operatives life, but also left it open to chance that the Nation's secrets would be exposed. Although every other nation knew the existence of their enemies - now allies, supposedly - spy networks, any actual exposure could ignite another International fiasco; and potentially another war. It had been nearly a year since the end of the last war effort, and negotiations had been intense.

Since then, communications had soured. ANBU, which at one point was considered unnecessary by the Five Great Nations collectively, were now being re-established as the "peacekeepers". Reports on espionage, plots of murder and kidnap, and even plans to colonize villages in other Nations brought a halt to all talks about continued peace. Previously, they had all fought under the same banner against a universal threat. But the end of the war brought about accusations and calls for reparations.

 _A sad reality indeed,_ thought the captain. _I witnessed many die on the battlefield. Who would have thought that a war would be looming so soon after the end of the last?_

His grey eyes remained on his _kouhai._ Noticing their discomfort, he signaled them. Holding up his hand, he extended his middle, ring and pinkie fingers. _Relax._ They responded, each holding five fingers up, letting him know that they were okay. The young captain had spent nearly his entire life in ANBU. Introduced to key members at an early age, he had decided that pursuing a Jonin rank and leading a group of _genin_ was far less exciting a life to live, and less valuable to the village. Knowing that Jonin team leaders were the Hokage's fist, he found purpose serving as the eyes and ears of the village. Enlisting gave him a purpose. The members were professional and exemplary. Rank meant little to nothing among such talented ninja.

Ironically enough, he had been made a captain of his own team within two years. Since his "promotion', he had been through three groups changes already. His first group of comrades had perished in a high risk mission - a scar that covered his torso served as a constant reminder - and his second trio had left him eight months ago to pursue careers outside of ANBU. He chose to remain, knowing that peace was always temporary, and that his skills were best suited for this specific profession.

 _Schhh schhh schhh_

 _What's that!_ the captain exclaimed internally.

His hands shifted beneath his cloak to the blade that rested on his right hip, clicking open the sheath to reveal it's razor edge. There had been no indication that there was anyone else in the area. In the distance, the four members of Bu-han heard the faint sound of feet shuffling. There was a thin layer of snow. A beat passed, and the sound of boots scraping continued. Responding immediately to the sudden appearance, he pointed at the shinobi who sat behind him and the other who flanked his left, motioning with two fingers toward the target. One second passed, and an insect - a _kikaichu_ to be precise - emerged from the sleeve of the Sloth masked ANBU to his left, buzzing by the captain's ear. Behind the captain, a Badger masked ANBU raised his nose into the air, steadying his neck when he picked up the scent of the mysterious fifth person in the distance.

The next moment, the three rookies closed ranks around their team leader quickly.

Leaning forward and softening his voice, the Badger spoke first. "I detected immense chakra," he paused, taking a breath. "I confirmed that it is indeed, a man. It also appears that he's attempting to minimize his presence with some sort of anti-sensory type jutsu. I'm not sure."

"My Kikaichu picked up on the same immense chakra," echoed the Owl. "According to the information we were given during the brief, I estimate that there's a ninety seven percent of possibility that the man approaching is our target," he said confidently.

 _A man. He's barely that,_ thought the captain.

"How far ahead is he?" he asked.

"Thirty meters, approximately."

A voice interjected. " _Taichou,_ I suggest we spread out into a pincer formation. Trapping the target and crushing him is the priority, right?" asked the fourth member of Bu-han. The composed rookie adjusted his mask, which was modeled after an Owl, and continued. "The best chance we have at cornering him is to cover both sides and apply pressure, pushing him towards the center." His head was dipped, avoiding eye contact with his comrades, who hid their surprised expressions and turned back to the Rabbit, awaiting their orders..

It wasn't often that he spoke up.

The captain nodded towards the Owl, acknowledging that given their very limited options, this seemed to be their only option that guaranteed safety. Not high risk, or careless. _That's a first for him,_ he thought to himself snarkily. Refocusing, he contemplated their next move, taking all the gathered information into account. While he had no duty to protect his underlings, he wasn't keen on putting them into a position to be killed. Any losses taken here would not just affect the strategy in the immediate sense, it would also put unnecessary strain on headquarters to replace this squad, adding up to a potentially high number of casualties. A gust of wind whipped through the stalks.

 _SCHHHH SCHHH SCHHH_

The shuffling was getting louder. What seemed odd was the fact that he was still not visible, yet he made no effort to be unheard. _He knew._

Panic began to set in for the Bear, whose sweat was now leaking through his steel armor and cotton cloak, emitting a smell similar to that of a wet dog. Spending less than one minute doing the math and including every variable, the grey eyed ANBU reached his decision.

"Listen up," he said with authority.

"We will arrange ourselves in a pincer formation along the road ahead. Based on the sound, he's about twenty yards away now, and is aware that we are here."

The three rookies nodded.

"Chances are, he is using **_Kakuremino No Jutsu_** , in an effort to confuse us. Remember your training." He quickly unsheathed his katana, and stood.

" _Sanpu!"_

Bu-han scattered across the road, no longer concealing their identity, and stood parallel to each other with their weapons drawn. The sound of shuffling boots ceased. Moonlight illuminated the area. Four shinobi stood in its glow, their cloaks gently waving in the wind. As much as the captain had downplayed the stakes of this mission, the fact was, this came as a direct request from the Office of the Hokage. There was no label or folder. _This_ was an S-Class Mission.

The captains voice was calm. "Identify yourself."

His eyes noticed that in the dirt road, two footprints were visible. Using his left hand, he snapped open the pouch on his leg and drew a kunai. Whirling the pointed dagger on his index finger, he threw it, marking the spot right in between the two footprints.

"Come forward, or we will be forced to engage," he said clearly. His subordinates recognized the change in his tone. He was bargaining with the target. It wasn't typical for operatives to offer options to their enemies. The Owl scowled. _Our cover was blown. We could have taken him out easily if we'd been more vigilant,_ he thought.

To the team members surprise, the footprints shifted. The enemy was advancing.

In an instant, the four shinobi landed on the borders of the road; boxing the target into a tight perimeter. Each rookie member fought to control their breathing. Their chests began to constrict. Knees locked up. Hands clenched.

But their eyes remained glued on the new pair of footprints.

The captain had encountered this shinobi once before. On _that_ day. He was instrumental in the near collapse of Konohagakure. He'd slain many members of ANBU. _There's no way in hell you're escaping this time, you bastard,_ he threatened mentally.

His eyes widened at the thought of all the times this man had slipped through their fingers. Losing his patience, and forgetting a principle that he abided by his entire life, he brought his hands together, weaving together four seals. The trio of young shinobi leapt back, a fair distance away from the imminent combat.

" **Katon: Haisekishou!"**

He arched his back, unleashing an ash plume from within. The cloud ensnared the target area, decreasing visibility. He clicked his teeth together and grinned. _Gotcha._ A spark appeared, igniting the ash and creating an explosion. It's radiating warmth brushed the heels of the retreating shinobis boots. Flames licked the area surrounding it's caster, turning the ground beneath it dry.

Within seconds, the heat expired. What was left was a thick haze. Weapons still drawn, the rookies awaited a command.

Not missing a beat, the captain wove together another pairing of seals. Five this time.

" **Futon: Daitoppa!"**

A gust of wind erupted from his mouth. It's blunt and powerful force chased away the remaining smoke. Soon, it's mass nearly blacked out the moon's glow. Through small cracks in the cloud of smoke, dozens of light beams shined through.

One beam rested on a toned muscular back.

Though the smoke had been cleared, fumes were still flowing off of the man's skin. The fumes created a barrier. It was difficult to see through. The ANBU team waited in tense anticipation. Trained eyes focused in on the haze. A silhouette formed. His location and appearance confirmed that the shinobi had indeed been affected by their captains _jutsu._ A moment passed, and Bu-han remained unmoved.

Cutting through the haze, a glimmer caught the eye of the captain.

 _Spectacles._

His stomach churned. The piercing light and eyeglasses brought back memories of deceit and manipulation. But at that exact moment, the only emotion that he could discern and set apart from the others was pure, unadulterated _fury._ His offensive maneuver had been vindicated. Or so it had appeared. Before carrying out another attack, he would have to first make an absolutely undisputed identification. He held up his hand again, extending his index and pinkie finger. He followed the signal up by retracting his fingers, making a fist.

 _Hold._

Now keen to the newly acquired threat, the three rookies each took on a traditional fighting stance, holding their katanas in a diagonal position; perfect for both defense and offense.

Breaking the tension, the cold night air finally lifted, revealing a shinobi of average height and weight. His shirt had been nearly incinerated, a small piece of the cloth hung around his neck. He had taken the brunt of the flame directly. In spite of all the danger.

Staring back at Bu-han was a pair of hollow black eyes, through glass lenses. The whites of his eyes were as bright as the moon. It's color was haunting, sending shivers down the backs of his adversaries.

The chief member however, remained unfazed, letting out a sharp exhale, his frosty breath wafting in the air around him. After five years of endless pursuit, the chase was over. There would be no escape this time.

"It's over," he said. His declaration was said quietly enough that it seemed to be more of a self comfort than a firm statement.

In the shimmering twilight, the enemies form began to change. The sound of wet paper being ripped in half carried across the dirt path. Soon, a low hissing sound joined in.

Emerging from his shoulders were two large snakes. _His skin was being torn apart._ The reptiles danced in waves above his head.

The confrontation was underway. Stepping forward to make first contact, the captain dug his boots in. He raised his sword hand, straightening his arm. Holding up a seal with his right hand, he began infusing chakra into his blade. It's bluish glow licked up against his cloak.

He swallowed before speaking, remembering for the first time that night that this was not a vendetta, but a mission. The safety and security of the people of Konoha rested on his shoulders. Fear began to creep in on his thoughts. Insecurity. He'd be quicker to embrace fury. But instead, he purged all emotion.

"You have committed crimes against the Land of Fire, and her peoples. As the chief subordinate to the _missing-nin_ Orochimaru, and as a notorious war criminal yourself, you have been found guilty of four hundred and twenty one murders. Those deaths are only those that we have _confirmed._ Among the other crimes leveled against you; kidnapping, thievery, and illegal experimentation are the most serious," he stopped, gauging the reaction on his enemy. The only movement had been from his venomous counterparts.

Feet began to grind restlessly behind him. Typical rooks.

 _Relax_.

The moment had come. He spoke calmly and clearly.

"Yakushi Kabuto. By order of the Daimyo and Hokage, you have been sentenced to death. Come quietly or you will die where you stand."

* * *

A/N: Ambiguous so far. Hope it wasn't _too_ ambiguous. Lol. Chapter Two Coming Soon.

Jutsu Used:

 **Kakuremino No Jutsu** \- Cloak of Invisibilty

 **Katon: Haisekishou -** Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning

 **Futon: Daitoppa -** Wind Release: Great Breakthrough


	2. Chapter Two

_A/N: Rushed this one out a bit. But here it is! Chapter Two._

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

 ** _8 months ago..._**

Walking at a casual pace, a white haired shinobi quietly made his way up the long stairwell, letting out an unenthused yawn as he climbed the steps patiently.

Eight days after the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, a war that he himself had played a major role in ending, he received a stamped envelope with a wax seal from the Office of the Hokage. Opening the envelope, he removed the letter from its paper sleeve and unfolded it. Turning the paper over to make sure he wasn't missing the message, he realized quickly that there was no writing on it. _Not typical,_ he said to himself. The envelope sat tattered on the desk. Noticing that the wax seal may be the message itself, the shinobi carefully picked it up and began thoroughly examining it. The wax seal may have just been establishing the location of the meeting. If the meeting was being held at the Hokage's Office, he knew immediately what the request meant. Deciding that it was best to get it over with quickly, he quickly emptied the contents of his Jonin jacket, save one Kunai, and answered the summon.

 _A formal request,_ he thought. _There's no doubt._

If the Hokage wanted him to captain another reconnaissance mission, she would have sent one of her Chunin aides - Kotetsu or Izumo - to retrieve him. The arrival of this letter was expected; but not so soon after the war.

The Jonin reached the circular hallway that lead straight to the Hokage's office, unusually quiet and empty.

His eyes widened. _Shoot. I forgot it,_ he thought, staring up at the ceiling. _It can't be helped._

It would be improper to bring such a lewd novel with him to such a serious meeting, but even just feeling the texture of the paperback edition of _Icha Icha Tactics_ in his pocket managed to calm him. Rationalizing internally, he settled on the fact that it would be disrespectful to his senior, and would likely earn him a power uppercut to the jaw. With a sigh, he continued his march. Each step he took towards the office, he could feel an added sense of relief.

He stopped in front of the office doors, the anticipation making his palms and forehead begin to sweat.

"KAKASHI! ENTER!" a booming voice commanded. A breeze whistled through the bottom crack of the door, and Kakashi let out a sigh as he turned the knob to enter.

The room was well lit, and nearly empty. Only four people including himself were in attendance at the secretive meeting.

Through the mirrors around the office, a collective bright white glare blinded him. His eyes were stinging from the afternoon sun, which was suddenly hidden behind a group of passing clouds.

It would take some time to get used to. For a long time, nearly his entire adult life, he only relied on his right eye to see.

Blinking, his eyes adjusted, focusing in on a figure sitting in the center of the room.

Seated behind a large wooden desk - constructed by the _Shodai Hokage_ nearly a century ago - was the leader of the Konahagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves: _Godaime Hokage:_ Tsunade-hime. Kakashi squinted to get a good look at her. The beautiful, blonde haired _Sannin -_ a special title bestowed upon her and her teammates by the legendary shinobi Hanzo - had a pensive look on her face. Her brows were furrowed and her arms rested on her table, hands clasped together, giving off a very authoritative aura. Being in charge came naturally to her. Watching Kakashi reluctantly drag his feet to the center of the room, a grin spread on her face.

To her left, holding official village documents, as she was at all times, was the Hokage's chief assistant, loyal bodyguard and first pupil, Shizune. Flanking her to the right was a familiar face and an unexpected guest. Wearing his signature shinobi combat helmet, along with a warm smile on his face, was Yamato - or Tenzo as Kakashi liked to tease - the ANBU Wood Release user who had taken his place as Team 7's leader during his brief absence . It pleased Yamato to see his former ANBU captain was behaving as he would normally.

"Senpai!" said Yamato cheerfully. "Ah," responded Kakashi.

 _Oh. As usual_ , thought Yamato.

Noticing the pronounced bags beneath his mentor's eyes, he frowned. "You look tired, senpai. No rest since they returned, huh?" Yamato asked.

Kakashi's mind drifted back to the day before, when he had visited his former pupils in the village hospital.

"Unfortunately," he answered, slumping his shoulders.

Yamato knew that his friend didn't like the spotlight. Being summoned in the manner he was, he had to have known that this was going to be another instance of recognition from Godaime. His discomfort was apparent. In the days that followed the end of the war, Kakashi was quick to dismiss any recognition the villagers would give him. His reaction to praise recently however was a far cry from his days as an ANBU operative, when he was cold and inconsolable. Nowadays, his bashful reactions only made him more popular with the village folk.

Tsunade interrupted Yamato's thoughts with two loud, quick slaps to the wooden table that made a sound similar to a firecracker. Kakashi snapped out of his slouch and stood at attention, prompting a giggle from Shizune.

"Kakashi, I sent you an envelope, summoning you here today," said Tsunade.

"Do you have the letter?" she continued, raising an eyebrow.

Kakashi searched his trousers left pocket and removed a folded envelope, and placed it on the table. The Hokage picked up the envelope and neatly placed it in the bin beneath her desk. "I assume you read the message," Tsunade said without looking at Kakashi. _Message?_ What message? The Jonin was genuinely confused. "I'm afraid I must have missed it," he answered honestly.

Tsunade raised her brow. "They didn't teach you basic code-breaking and decryption in ANBU? I expected better from a genius shinobi like you," she said with a pout. She bent under her desk to retrieve the letter.

"Ah, you have my apologies. I've never received such a formal letter from any Kage, and assumed that the message was in the seal," Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, we don't have time for apologies," Tsunade said with a strict voice, as she flattened out the letter on her desk. She wasn't amused by false humility, as she saw it. Weaving together a group of hand signs too quick to see, Tsunade lifted her hand gently and brought it down onto the letter.

" _Kai!"_ she shouted, breaking the seal, causing a puff of smoke and revealing the ink writing on the paper.

Kakashi brought his palm to his forehead. "Such a simple encryption. I'm losing my touch," he mumbled. The curious eyes of the other two jonin became glued to the paper in front of Tsunade. A beat later, Kakashi brought his eyes to read the message. It was facing Tsunade, so Kakashi spun the paper to face him, and read the message clearly. The message turned out to be on word. _I see,_ he said to himself. Looking for his peers reactions, Kakashi glanced over to Yamato and Shizune who both looked bewildered. The word was written in special encryption ink, with large brush strokes:

 **BRANCH**

Tsunade looked knowingly at Kakashi, who picked apart the message instantly. The Jonin's eyes suddenly hardened, his demeanor now serious.

The windows darkened, the sun now completely blocked out by clouds. Clasping her hands and leaning forward, a wry smile spread over Tsunade's lips.

"We have _business_ to discuss Kakashi."

* * *

" _OUCH! WHAT THE HELL!"_

In the largest recovery room Konoha Hospital had to offer, a spiky haired blonde shinobi jumped out of bed, holding his rear end. His shouts echoed through the stone halls of the recovery wing, causing concerned heads to poke their heads out, curious about where the sound of the ruckus had come from.

"Sorry!" shrieked the attending nurse.

"I didn't know how else to wake you! My apologies Naruto-san," she bowed her head, her brunette hair falling forward. The recently awakened young shinobi turned around, waving his left hand and giving the nurse a comforting smile. "It's not a problem, nee-san. I was just...uhhh," Naruto trailed off, ruffling his hair in an attempt to straighten it out.

In reality, he was more upset that his sleep was constantly being interrupted just so that he wouldn't miss his appointments with Tsunade. She was still doing research on his severed right arm, and she chose specific times of the day when she knew Naruto would be sleeping. On this day, Naruto awoke to a woman pinching his butt. No doubt Tsunade had instructed her to do so. This girl was too timid to try something so straightforward.

"I'm fine, really," Naruto reassured, smiling wide this time.

The young nurses cheeks were starting to redden. Her infatuation was obvious, but Naruto, who was oblivious when it came to recognizing when a girl was expressing their attraction to him, was still rubbing his rear, mumbling insults about a certain _Baa-chan._

"Naruto-san, I um…" she stood straight now, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Huh?" Naruto responded, still drowsy and more than a little irritated.

The nurse, her face now a match for the color of a cherry, bowed again. She couldn't look him in the eye. It became embarassing that she couldn't suppress her fantasies about the blonde genin. She was a proud and established medical-nin.

Standing composed and confident, she managed to speak.

"Na-Naruto-san! I've admired you from afar for _so long_! My name is Kijima Yuko!" she announced as if she was making a presentation before her employers. "I may be six years older, b-but you still inspired me to keep trying hard! I wouldn't be a medical-nin if it weren't for you!"

She closed her eyes. "I-I was wondering if you...if you wouldn't mind...signing my headband please!" From her blouse, she withdrew a familiar black strip of cloth with a small rectangular forehead protector neatly folded, and presented it to Naruto.

Confused, but also honored, Naruto held out his palms and received the headband. The cloth still had elasticity, and the fibers weren't damaged at all. _A medical-nin headband, indeed,_ Naruto thought. The feminine aroma carried upward to fill his nostrils. It's scent was soothing, prompting a sigh from Naruto. He stared down at the headband.

Previously, Naruto had issues with signing autographs. It was a source of anxiety, a blind spot that he never felt comfortable exploring. But at this moment, he nearly teared up.

The war...was over.

A few strokes with a pen on this girl's headband would represent the first time that Naruto was essentially comfortable enough to actually enjoy these experiences. A time of _true_ peace.

Following tradition, Naruto bowed his head. "Thank you, Yuko-chan" he croaked, his throat suddenly dry. Feeling the tears begin to brim, he continued. "It's an honor."

Yuko had been searching for a sharpie in the drawer behind Naruto. Hearing his words, she turned in time to see that her patient - the Saviour of the Shinobi World - was on the verge of crying, in front of _her_. The sight made her face hot. "Naruto-san! Please don't cry!" she said through choked sobs.

"Baka," he teased. "How can you expect me not to start bawling, ambushing me like this early in the morning!"

With a reluctant nod, Yuko handed him a sharpie, her tears still falling to the ground. Naruto frowned. In a swift motion he signed the headband. _**To Yuko, whose pinches are loveliest in Konoha**_ \- he grinned, proud of his slick note - _**Uzumaki Naruto.**_ He finished drawing a fox to accompany the signature and handed the cloth back to it's owner, who was soaked in tears. _An emotional wreck, like Ino,_ he laughed.

Reaching out, he patted her on the shoulders. "Thank you, nee-chan. Really." His words, packed with sincerity, made Yuko collapse into his arms. "Nee-chan! OI! I know you're just bursting with joy right now, but I can't hold you up with one arm, dattebayo!" Yuko embraced his waist, and Naruto spent nearly ten minutes trying to get her to let go.

After being separated, and after another ten minutes of apologies, Yuko brushed off her skirt and composed herself. If any supervisor had seen what'd happened this morning, she'd have lost her job.

"Naruto-san, I'll be back with your lunch at about 11:30," she said, after finally laying Naruto back to rest. "I want to thank you again for putting up with me. I know I made a fool of myself today, but I sincerely want to show you my gratitude. You saved us all!" she yelled.

The blonde shinobi blushed. He felt that he had been praised enough for one day.

He nodded, gave his thanks once more and bid her farewell. She was out the door before Naruto finally remembered that he had questions that needed answering. Flipping his blanket off of him and leaning forward, he called out for her.

"NEE-CHAN!"

The tables shook around him and caused a few other patients to yell back at him.

Yuko burst back into the room, with a worried look on her face. "Are you ok?" she said in a hushed voice.

"Ahh sorry, nee-chan," Naruto said, putting his hands together, feigning innocence. "I had a couple of questions that I forgot to ask you."

She narrowed her eyes. _He certainly was more odd than she had anticipated._ She gave him a skeptical grin, before she finally settled on the doctor's stool and turning to face him. "Ask away Naruto-kun." Naruto noticed the change in honorifics. _Good, she's comfortable. Hopefully that hug got it out of her system._

He wasted no time in asking her tough questions. She seemed open enough.

"Nee-san, I was brought in eight days ago, right?" She took a moment, and then nodded. "Kakashi-san brought you in," she muttered. "I was brought in with another. Another combatant," he clarified. She nodded again. "So, if you know...can you tell me where's... _he's_ recovering?"

His questions - like his personality - had been anything but predictable.

Yuko wasn't expecting to hear him ask about the well-being of a notorious traitor-nin like Uchiha Sasuke, but she considered that they may have known each other through the academy. Both were of similar age, and also major figures in the war. Her thoughts briefly drifted back to the lunchroom gossip that she had heard from the other nurses about how ruthless the last remaining Uchiha had been. _Eyes red; like the devil._ She shivered, thinking about what kind of person he was, capable of nearly ending Uzumaki Naruto's life. Shaking the thoughts off, her attention returned to her patient who was eagerly awaiting an answer. She offered no resistance.

"He's in the hallway across, three doors down. A high security room here in the recovery wing,"

The term "high-security" was no surprise to Naruto, but the fact that he was in such close proximity _was_ a surprise. He knew that concessions had been made by Tsunade to keep Sasuke out of the interrogation room at ANBU headquarters. Or worse. _Thank you, Baa-chan._

Pondering, he began to think. "Has he received any visitors?" he asked next. This was the question that he had been meaning to answer. So far, everyone from the Konoha 11 had paid him a visit.

Team 10 was the first to visit, a day after his admission. They brought Naruto a box of his favorite instant ramen, which immediately confiscated by the nursing staff.

" _It was hard enough keeping Choji away from consuming your present, but now it's been confiscated," sighed Shikamaru. "Really, the worst! You two idiots are lucky that I brought flowers!" Ino scolded, nearly crushing the flower arrangement she was carrying. "Why did you keep me away from those sweet beef flavored noodles? I wanted a case of my own!" Choji whined._

Team Gai were on the ground floor, waiting for their sensei to be released from the hospital. Of all the teams, their visit was the most brief. Piled on top of the fact that their sensei would likely never walk again, their team was the only one to have suffered a casualty. The thought made Naruto wince. Tenten was busy arranging the funeral, and Lee was running errands for the hospital to other villages, ordered away by his sensei who insisted that he was wasting away his "youth".

" _Get well, Naruto-kun" said a teary eyed Lee. He gripped Naruto's shoulder and stared into his eyes. Tenten was still obviously grief stricken, only managing a weak smile and a quick goodbye_

Team 8 visited the day before, gifting Naruto a wire necklace.

 _Hinata was first. Quickly running over to his side and embracing him, laying her head on chest and sobbing. The two male members of Team 8 strode in after her. The hooded and always serious Shino was not a surprise. "Naruto. Get well soon. Why? Because the village flourishes when you're directly involved. We need you." A scoff came from the back of the room. "Until he recovers, we'll fill in." Kiba had chosen not to address Naruto directly. He hurried out of the room, which came as a surprise to Naruto. The Inuzuka always had something to say. Shino and Hinata stayed back to present Naruto with the necklace. It was a wire necklace, with ten beads attached. Ten beads for the ten clans represented by the Konoha 11._

The memories warmed his heart.

Everyone from the Konoha 11 had visited...all but two. One was dead. And _one_ had not been seen since the final battle at _Shumatsu no Tani._

...

" _Naruto-kun..Naruto-kun…"_

He was swaying back and forth, feeling no control over his head. For a minute, he hadn't realized that his vision was blurry to the point of near blindness. Now regaining consciousness, he closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes next, he found a worried nurse hanging over him.

"Are you okay?" asked Yuko, who had a strained expression.

Naruto blinked. His head was rested on a pillow. _Wasn't I sitting up?_ _How long was I daydreaming?_

He sat up, with his nurses delicate hand assisting him.

After a slow and deep exhale, he spoke apologetically. "Sorry, nee-chan, but can you continue where you left off?"

Chalking it up to another odd Naruto tick, the nurse nodded. "Okay." she paused, and then laughed heartily.

"Naruto-kun; you're odd."

Who was he to disagree? "I know," he admitted, hanging his head in mock disappointment.

She laughed. There had been a lot of _that_ this morning. "Hmm, so where was I?" she pondered, trying to remember his question. "I remember!" she exclaimed. "His visitors. Okay, heres what I know: So far, only official visits have been granted. Hokage-sama and the ANBU Interrogation Unit are frequent visitors. Several of the other villages have requested that Uchiha-san be brought before an International Council, but so far, Hokage-sama has been adamant that as a missing-nin from this village, he is our responsibility," she paused, her smile turning into a subtle frown. "And therefore our responsibility to punish."

Naruto grimaced. During the entire conflict, Kumogakure and Iwagakure had made it clear that they believed that Sasuke's punishment should be _death._ But in their first surgery session, Naruto had been reassured by Tsunade that no harm would come to him, that diplomacy and reason should be good enough to guarantee his safety. Thinking back, he remembered that she was not the type _at all_ to fold from outside pressure.

"Has anyone else visited?" he asked.

The young nurse tensed. She could sense that Naruto was very interested in learning about the living circumstances of Uchiha Sasuke, but she couldn't figure out why. _Were they squadmates, perhaps?_ Naruto waited for an answer.

"Hokage-sama made an exception for his lover."

He froze.

"A pink-haired kunoichi who refuses to leave his side. The nurse in charge of his care has to take two plates of food to his room for every meal."

 _Why?_

"She's cute. He's much sleepier than you are - and has a far smaller appetite - but she's stayed by his side for nearly a week now," Yuko sighed. "She only leaves at night to get fresh air outside. Shizune-san makes sure that she does so."

 _Why hasn't she visited?_

Yuko finally noticed that Naruto hadn't said anything for a while. His skin was starting to turn grey, and a sheen of sweat had appeared on his forehead. "Naruto-kun, are you alright?"

"Thank you," he said abruptly, nearly cutting Yukos question off. The sincerity wasn't there anymore."Yuko-san, I'm going to bed now. Thank you for answering my questions," he continued, sounding robotic.

Still worried, but not wanting to overstep boundaries, Yuko bowed. "The pleasure was mine," she said. _He looks worse than when he was brought in eight days ago._ Not good. "Do you mind me asking for one more request?" Yuko asked.

He remained silent, laid out on his back, blankly staring at the ceiling.

"Can you promise me that you'll drink that cup of water before I come back?"

Fulfilling the request, Naruto sat up and drank every drop of the 16 oz. cup of water that sat on the end table to the left of his bed.

His movements seemed aggressive, an unintentional gesture.

Yuko's voice was hushed, knowing now that the visitor situation was what was troubling Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. Get some rest please." Her face flushed, and she quietly left the room, regretful that she may have said too much.

The door closed. And Naruto was alone.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he realized that his petty frustrations were a result of the jealousy that always bubbled beneath his skin. He sought acknowledgement his entire life. And now the entire _world_ acknowledged not just his strength, but his heroism. Still, the simplest acknowledgement that he sought was not attached to his newfound prestige. As a new student at the academy, forcefully enrolled by Sandaime Hokage himself, he only wanted the attention of a single person. Call it acknowledgement, call it affection, he would have even accepted genuine friendship.

 _Sakura-chan._

Even after all the trials and tribulations of the last decade, Naruto had to concede that at least she was consistent. The girl who had knocked him down and bruised him so many times as an Academy student who had thoroughly abused him both mentally and physically was still, just as always…

...the girl he _loved._

 _ **Hey, brat.**_

In that moment, the windows in Naruto's second floor room flew open, nearly shattering. The usually sunny skies of Konoha were suddenly dimmed, grey clouds suddenly passing over the Hokage Rock and into the village, where a slight drizzle had begun.

 _ **Answer when I'm talking to you, Naruto.**_

Clutching his stomach and closing his eyes, Naruto opened the line of communication between himself and his _bijuu_ companion.

When he opened his eyes again, Naruto found himself standing in a body of water that came up to his knees. He was standing before his red eyed confidant, whose nine tails were swirling behind him. Kurama - named by the Six Paths Sage - had his massive arms crossed over his chest, still wearing his usual angry expression. Naruto didn't hide his displeasure.

 _What is it now?_ he asked, irritated that his partner sounded like he had a lecture prepared.

 _ **I didn't place my full trust in you - my life, even - just to see you sulk in a hospital bed. You're being unusually sorrowful today, and it's making me feel sick.**_

Naruto felt a tinge of guilt. He knew that Kurama felt all of his emotions, and as a result it affected his own mood.

 _Kurama,_ Naruto responded patiently. _Is it ok if you go back to your chakra meditation? Everythings fine, I'm just reminiscing a bit._

Unamused and unsatisfied with his friends answer, Kurama scoffed. He knew however, that Naruto had tendency to get down on himself, and that in the end, it only amplified his strength and resolve. Reluctantly, he relented.

 _ **Okay.**_

Naruto nodded, expressing his gratitude.

 _ **Just keep it down. I can block out most of your thoughts while I'm meditating, but your thoughts on that girl are annoying to listen to. **_

Since the war, the duo had always been honest with one another. All of the animosity naturally expired. Kurama needed to be the first to offer encouragement. But after seeing the nurses attempts to comfort Naruto earlier, Kurama decided against offering his honest thoughts on the situation.

 _ **I'll be off. Cheer up, already. Stop wasting time. And remember that I'M recovering too.**_

In a puff of smoke, Kurama was gone, and Naruto was back at the hospital.

The windows to his room were still open, and a puddle had formed on the tile right beneath them. A booming thunder shook the walls. Swinging his leg over the side, Naruto stood, and walked over to close his window. As he gripped the window frame, he peered into the courtyard of the Academy. Outside, instructors rushed their students indoors. Mothers and fathers arrived to retrieve their children.

The sight brought warmth to Naruto's heart, just as Yuko had earlier. Kurama was right. Sulking was not an option. With a renewed vision and purpose, he quickly moved over to his bed and began rearranging the pillows. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins now, and soon an idea formed in his head. He's visit Tsunade first, though. Cranky though she was, her advice and insight would prove useful in this situation.

 _Yosh!_ He said silently, raising his arm to fist pump.

When he lifted his arm, he felt a wet breeze graze his buttchecks. Suddenly very self-aware, he closed the back of his patient's gown. Searching the closet area and the bathroom in his room, he found nothing but a hand towel as another option for clothing. Biting his lip, trying hard to think about where he could snag a pair of trousers, he remembered that he hadn't searched the end table. Opening the top drawer, he found a pair of scissors and an open package of gauze. _Damn,_ he cursed. Lifting the latch for the bottom drawer and pulling, he felt that it was jammed. He applied some pressure downwards, yanking the drawer open. Inside was a large transparent package, with an orange jacket, a shinobi mesh shirt, and a pair of orange trousers.

Sporting a confident grin, Naruto bolted for the bathroom, efficiently getting dressed within a minute.

It was pouring rain.

Climbing onto the windowsill, the orange clad shinobi leaped off, vanishing into the downpour.

* * *

A/N: Hope it wasn't too inconsistent :/

Haha. Anyways, just wanted to say that any and all comments are appreciated. Would love to know which parts I should tweak and which parts I should cut out completely. I know that OC characters are hit or miss, so I hope Yuko was more of a hit than a miss lol. Thanks - TD

 _Chapter Three to be posted by next week :)_

 ** _No jutsu used in this chapter_**


	3. Chapter Three

_A/N: This Chapter took a while to churn out; sorry! I'll try to keep the updates bi-weekly, but should I fall short of that mark, I apologize in advance. Thanks again for reading. Hope you enjoy Chapter Three :)_

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

"I don't know why we wasted our time."

"It was necessary that he saw us there, and heard our words of encouragement and support. Why? Because he's our dear friend."

Two shinobi walked down the corridor that separated their two clans compounds, as they had done _at least_ a million times before. They walked with their hands in their pockets, staring straight ahead and wondering.

Kiba Inuzuka and Aburame Shino were anything but alike. Whereas Shino was quiet and reserved, Kiba had a difficult time keeping anything to himself. Shino was strategic and patient, Kiba was reckless and abrasive. The only common variable was the fact that they both came from established clans in Konoha, though the Aburame were hailed as the stronger and more important of the two. Paired on thousands of missions together, they communicated primarily non verbally.

They made it work.

There was no particular moment that their friendship solidified; or none that either could recall. When the teams had been assembled, they were initially reluctant to get along. At one point during their training for the Chunin Exams with their sensei Kurenai, both came to the conclusion on their own that there was no point in viewing each other as rivals. Surrounded by so many talented classmates with rich backgrounds, they found that they worked best, and were most productive as a team.

Though their animal kin never took a liking to each other, the two Chunin were the opposite. Over months spent stalking enemies in the forest, they gradually found balance in their techniques. As their friendship became synchronized, so did their natural powers.

Still, their personalities often found room to clash.

"All we were there to do was support Hinata. I still don't understand why we bothered. That stamina freak will probably be checking out of the hospital tomorrow. She could have given it to him then." Kiba's voice was angry.

"No, not tomorrow. He still has recovery sessions with the Hokage," corrected the Aburame.

"Even so," his partner replied. "We all have things to do.

"Shikamaru. Ino. Tenten. Countless others have funerals to plan. Even Hinata herself. My clan was lucky enough to only lose a few distant relatives. There are more pressing and important matters than those two."

Shino remained silent, managing a _hmm_ in agreement.

"I'll say this much," Kiba started. "I'm disappointed that Hinata isn't as worked up about Neji as Tent-,"

"That's not fair," Shino interjected. "Hinata made her peace on the battlefield. You know that."

This was indeed, a fact. Kiba regretted saying it loud, be had been turning it over in his head for a week now. He gritted his teeth, ashamed that he questioned the intentions of his Hyuga teammate. In fact, knowing Hinata, she probably left it up to Tenten so that Neji's teammates could properly process his death and honor him as only squadmates can. For shinobi, funerals were not elaborate. All that would needed to be planned was the time, and the small gathering there afterwards. A brief grievance. Just another "benefit" towards being a teenaged soldier. Truth was, no one ever had time to properly grieve. But with peace now attained, and a lot of free time, it would be very hard not to sit around and sulk.

The Aburame removed his left hand from his pocket, patting around his jacket, searching for an item. His hand stopped searching when he felt a box rattle.

When the war ended, Shibi, Shino's father, had announced that he was abdicating his position as clan head, in favor of his son.

"Are you going to accept?" asked Kiba, still looking straight ahead.

Shino, knowing exactly what his comrade was referring to, offered no response.

"How's Akamaru?"

Typical, Kiba scowled. Shino rarely ever shared his thoughts with anyone, and that included his friends who weren't insects. And he knew exactly how to get Kiba off his back. It's been a little over a week since Kiba's canine companion had been under the care of his sister. The day before, she gave him the news. He began to think. Maybe the diagnosis was what made him so on edge this morning.

 _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck..._

 ** _13 hours ago..._**

 _The anticipation was making him sick. His closest friend and partner had shown no signs of hurt during the war. Their collaboration jutsu worked perfectly. What could have gone wrong?_

 _When they returned, covered in dirt and blood, the two shinobi fell into a deep sleep. When the human half of the duo woke up, his partner was gone. A note from his sister let him know that Akamaru was safe, and undergoing testing after showing symptoms of sickness._

 _That was six days ago._

 _On this, the seventh day of his companions absence, Kiba was seated stairs, waiting anxiously for his sister's return._

 _The wait had been long and depressing. Hours passed. Anger set in. Sadness followed soon thereafter._

 _As night fell, the door clicked open, and a familiar pattering of footsteps made their way through._

 _"AKAMARU!" shouted Kiba. He sprinted towards the door to greet his pal. The shinobi embraced his destined partner tightly, whispering into his fur and nearly sobbing. Since getting kicked out of the veterinary recovery wing by his sister, he hadn't seen his best buddy for almost twenty four hours. Like all Inuzuka, he rarely ever spent more than several minutes apart from his companion._

 _"Kiba, come sit with me a moment," said Hana._

 _Surprised that she had slipped past his reunion unnoticed, Kiba immediately snapped back into reality. "What is it nee-chan?! Tell me - is it serious?!" he exclaimed as he ran over to their dining room table frantically._

 _"Kiba, sit."_

 _Obeying his sister's command, the chunin sat on the chair opposite of her quickly, where he was joined by his partner._

 _"I'm going to give you my diagnosis. Now, however you may feel about this news, know that I have no control over it. And if you want Akamaru to live a long a prosperous life, you will follow my directions exactly. Understood?"_

 _He nodded._

 _Taking a deep breath, and sipping on the cup of water she had in front of her, she crossed his arms over her chest._

 _"As of today - effective immediately - I am retiring Akamaru."_

* * *

He had made his decision. The path to Hokage was clear now. He'd follow in the steps of the many Hokage before him.

Uzumaki Naruto would become a Jonin Sensei.

There was no way of knowing if this was the right path for _him_ , but he wasn't left with many other options. No one but Gaara, the current _Kazekage_ and a close friend of his, had ascended to become Hokage as a genin. But Sunagakure and their traditions were a far cry from Konoha's. There would be no easy path to become the Hokage. And that's exactly how Naruto liked it. Despite using his shadow clones to learn techniques faster as a means to save his best friend, Naruto was not fond of using shortcuts. Especially now, he wanted to avoid any possible scrutiny.

After all, this was the path his late father had taken.

Luckily there were no rules against a genin applying to become a Jonin. At least...none that he was aware of.

The rain streamed down his face as he sprinted across the jade tiled roof of the hospital on his way to the Academy. His empty right arm sleeve trailed behind him, blowing violently in the stormy winds. Reaching the edge of the hospital roof he leapt onto the apartment buildings across the street.

Landing with light footed precision he proceeded to the Academy, ten blocks straight ahead. He arrived outside of the large structure, painted red and white representing the Land of Fire. Surveying the area to make sure no one was watching, he set his eyes finally on his target, launching himself onto the ledge outside of the Hokage's Office. The slippery surface nearly caused him to slide off the roof, which would have earned him another trip the hospital, but he managed to reach out and grab by the ledge by the very tips of his fingers.

 _Crisis averted_ , Naruto sighed, thanking Kami for his quick reflexes.

He pulled himself up, maneuvering his legs onto the roof - being sure to tread softly. Moving gingerly towards the window, he raised his hand to rap it. His knuckles nearly touched, before he heard a familiar voice. It belonged to a very serious Hatake Kakashi.

 _Kakashi-sensei is probably being sent on another diplomatic mission_ , he thought.

As he listened closely, he could only hear mumbling against the sound of the pouring rain that he was currently sitting in. Eavesdropping was his strong suit, fortunately. He pressed his ear against the wood separating the windows, sneakily avoiding any contact with the glass. Their low voices were hard to pick up. But after a few seconds, he began to isolate their voices.

 _...you are…_

 _...responsibility is…_

 _...if you…_

It appeared that this was no ordinary mission. Pressing his ear to the wooden beam, he listened closely once more. To his surprise, Tsunade's easily distinguishable voice was as clear as glass when he leaned in to hear.

 _...that you are the most capable…._

A brief pause.

 _...You should get your affairs in order. Starting next week, yo-"_

"NARUTO!"

In an instant Naruto was slipping off the edge. His left hand reached to grab the ledge. Straining, and hanging onto the edge - literally - he turned his head to search for the person who had shocked him into nearly falling. On the path below was a figure standing with an umbrella and a large black coat on. The voice was familiar. The mysterious figure lifted his hood to reveal his face, and a spiked ponytail.

"OI! You nearly killed me, you shadow loving bastard!"

Laughing at how easily the blonde shinobi dismissed honorifics and manners, the shady figure called again.

"What are you doing?" he said through a chuckle. "Get down here! I want to talk with you!" The figure was none other than Nara Shikamaru, who was standing a steady stream of mud. Following the end of the war, the only member of the Konoha 11 to receive a promotion was the young lieutenant of the Fourth Division, who also happened to possess the highest IQ in the Land of Fire.

Dropping down to the ground, Naruto hustled over to Shikamaru, who pulled out another umbrella from under his coat and held it out for the blonde to use.

"No thanks." Naruto dismissed the offer.

"You'll get sick."

"I'm already soaked."

"Just take it, dumbass."

Relenting, Naruto snatched the umbrella out of Shikamaru's hand, and opened it. "Happy?" Naruto snapped. The Nara simply laughed. It was just like Naruto to get angry about something as miniscule as being offered help.

Since the early days, the two former underachievers - or _dead lasts_ as the rest of their classmates called them - exceeded everyone's wildest expectations. As it was now, they were invaluable assets to the village. Perhaps the most valuable. Their mutual respect for each others natural abilities and motivations strengthened their bond, and outside of their own squadmates, they considered one another to be more than just comrades. _Brothers_ , in a sense.

"Naruto - why were you perched on the ledge just now?" Shikamaru inquired.

The Uzumaki hesitated. He wasn't sure just yet about making any commitments. So he lied. "Just paying baa-chan a visit."

The newly promoted jonin shot him a skeptical look.

"Was she busy?"

"Yeah, talking to Kakashi-sensei again." Naruto was befuddled by what the Godaime and his sensei could possibly be talking about. They spoke in an aristocratic manner that was foreign to him. It was a mixed bag of words that didn't mean much.

 _Did they know I was listening?_ he thought.

However confusing it was, there was the latter part of the conversation. _That_ was pretty clear…

Shikamaru held his hand out, allowing the rain to steadily fall on his open palm. He then snatched his hand back, creating a trail of rain that followed and continued.

"Anyway, I called you down here to ask you something," said Shikamaru. "But first, let's get off the road." The Nara motioned Naruto to follow him.

The two ninja hurried to the inn down the street, kicking up mud puddles along the way. As they entered through the thin blue curtains marked _Shimazu's Inn_ and took their seats, an old woman approached at a measured pace with a small black notepad to take their orders. Naruto asked for char siu ramen, while Shikamaru ordered a simple miso soup along with a pot of tea for them to share.

Stretching back, the jonin glanced at Naruto with one eye open.

"So," said Shikamaru, through a yawn. "What'd you hear?"

Unsurprised by his curiosity, the blonde spilled the beans. "It didn't sound like a mission. More like a lecture. She sounded serious," Naruto said, in reference to the Hokage.

She didn't sound angry, or stressed. Instead, she sounded...relieved.

The tea was brought out immediately in an iron pot. Setting two two teacups on the table, the old woman poured them each their first cup. Bowing and offering his thanks, Shikamaru gave their server a smile before she sauntered back behind the curtain separating the kitchen from the restaurant.

"Sounds about right," said Shikamaru with a knowing expression. He held his teacup formally, bringing the brim to his lip and taking a sip. Naruto found his answer suspicious. But his peer remained stone faced, not allowing Naruto to probe.

The torrential rain was pouring steadily, and the blistering wind had died down into a intermittent breeze.

"Shikamaru," said Naruto, "why are you out walking in the rain?"

Setting his cup down, the Nara's expression softened. "No reason in particular. Just a funeral."

Naruto's back straightened. _A funeral? Whose?_

The memories and events of the war were blurry outside of the battles. Between fighting Obito, Madara and Kaguya, the young Uzumaki knew next to nothing about what had transpired. He wasn't even sure which lives were lost. But as Naruto watched Shikamaru pour another cup of tea for himself, it dawned on him.

Of the many casualties of the Great War, Nara Shikaku was among them

A moment of silence was shared, before the blonde shinobi spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru. If I'd have known, I would have tried to save him. And Inoichi-san."

The Nara looked at his friend with confusion. " _Sorry_?" he said in disbelief.

While he knew that Naruto essentially carried everyones worries and concerns on his back at all times, he found it hard to believe that his friend would also put the deaths of his and Ino's fathers on his plate as well. He was miles down the list of who was to blame, if in fact there was a list. Sometimes, Shikamaru had to question whether or not Naruto got anything out of shouldering everyone's burdens. There was no reward. Only acknowledgement.

Shikamaru let out a deep sigh. A lecture wouldn't work. The only thing Shikamaru could do for his friend at the moment was to try and use logic - even if it wasn't Naruto's strong suit.

"Naruto," he said with a calm, mature voice. "My father's sacrifice was on behalf of his family. His country. The world. He sought not just to live life, but to protect those who have yet to experience it." He took a sip of his hot tea.

"And now, those responsibilites rest squarely on our shoulders."

Naruto was an open book. His wide eyed expression let Shikamaru know that he understood.

"Will of Fire, indeed," the Nara murmured.

This morning had been a whirlwind of emotions for Naruto.

"I'd like to pay my respects," he said abruptly.

"Do so after this storm passes."

"No. Now." Naruto stood, and stared down at his comrade.

Shikamaru was taken aback. _Is he threatening me?_ he thought. "Sit down, you damned hothead," he said bluntly.

All the humor the Nara had to offer had been expended. Wounded or not, Naruto had no right to demand when he would visit Shikaku's grave. The yellow haired shinobi grimaced, before eventually taking his seat.

Sips of tea followed their fiery exchange.

Their eyes locked again, and they cursed eachother silently.

"Here are your meals, gentleman!" the little old woman was carrying a wooden tray which held their meals. Setting each dish on the table with professional swiftness, she stepped back and placed the tray on her lap.

"Please, enjoy. It's on the house, Nara-san. Uzumaki-san." The pair turned to see that the whole staff had come out to offer the gratitude. The entire staff thanked them loudly in unison, and bowed.

 _Two teenaged war heroes._

They both stood from their table and returned the gesture. It took the old waitress five minutes to chase the female employees back behind the curtains and into the kitchen. Outside, the pouring rain had weakened to a slight drizzle, though the grey skies still blotted out the sunlight.

"Instead of visiting the cemetary, why don't you come with me to the hospital first?" asked Shikamaru.

Through a large slurp of noodles, a surprised Naruto looked up. Paranoia made him point an accusing finger at his friend.

"AH! I knew you were here to take me back! I knew it!" he said, with his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

Sighing, the black haired shinobi shook his head. "I can clear your hospital charge if you're that hell bent on avoiding recovery."

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Really?" he said enthusiastically. "Wow! I'd better finish these quickly."

Never one to go back on his word, the Hero of the Leaf began scarfing down his noodles at a rapid pace.

Shikamaru watched in amusement as his lunch date tipped the bowl towards his mouth, vacuuming the remaining soup and meat bits. Feeling the reality set in, he began to think. If one were to honestly assess the situation, the young Nara shinobi was likely sitting across from the future Hokage. An amused chuckle escaped his lips. Here sat one of the most powerful shinobi to ever exist, yet...he retained his light hearted, playful nature.

Whenever he spent time outside of the house or away from reading Shogi strategy pamphlets, he felt at ease. But those feelings were amplified by a thousand when he was around shinobi like Naruto and Choji. His role as a jonin had not been clarified by Tsunade yet, who was still sorting out various foreign treaties and trade routes. At any moment now, she'd call upon his services. I'll be ready, he thought. He looked back to find Naruto, red cheeked and breathing for the first time in the last three minutes. He felt envious of his friend. Maybe I'm growing up too fast.

"Yosh! Let's go get those charges dropped, dattebayo!" declared Naruto, who hurried outside, opening his mouth and catching raindrops. As he stood there, he remembered that he had forgotten something. His _Sannin_ master had taught him about the virtues of being polite. So, ever the gentleman, Naruto poked his head through the curtains and put his hands together.

"Thank you for the meal!" he sang. Pots and pans clattered as the entire staff rushed out again to give the two shinobi their thanks.

Shikamaru bowed in acknowledgment and followed Naruto outside, raising his hood's cloak and leading the way. Naruto noted that Shikamaru had always been beyond his years, but there was a certain...aura of maturity that surrounded him now.

They walked at a relaxed pace, avoiding mud puddles and enjoying the sight of their village. Whenever they returned from missions - or wars as of recent - the simple designs of apartments and shops had a life of their own.

Naruto was dragging his feet behind, mumbling. "I wanted my first meal outside to be Ichiraku Ramen."

"Ichiraku's closes during rainstorms. We ate for convenience, not pleasure. And the tea was good," Shikamaru patted his stomach. "Warmed me up."

Naruto continued to mutter insults under his breath.

As they reached the midpoint on their way to the hospital, Naruto his "vow of silence".

Jutting out his chin and turning away from Shikamaru, the blonde indiscreetly coughed before he finally spoke. "Well, we know that I'm going to clear my hospital charge. But hey, Shikamaru..." he paused, attempting to make eye contact.

"...why are _you_ going to the hospital?"

"Two reasons," said Shikamaru, almost immediately. His hand hand raised, with his index finger extended.

"I haven't paid Guy sensei a proper visit. I figured, I have business at the hospital anyway, so why not drop by and wish him a quick recovery."

A visit to Guy sensei seemed legitimate enough. Yet, Naruto focused on only one word.

"Business?"

"Yes." Shikamaru paused, and stopped walking - turning to face his comrade. His hand extended a second finger. "Reason number two.

"Ibiki-san asked for my help. Said he could use my insight. And also aid for restrainment." His hands fidgeted beneath his coat, and after a second he brought a small paper box out from his tools pouch. Flipping open the lid, he slowly removed a cigarette with his teeth. Reaching inside the box itself, he withdrew a matchbox. Striking a red tipped match against the top of the box, the stick flared as he brought it close to his face to light the cigarette.

Confused about what Shikamaru meant, but having a generally good idea about where he was going, Naruto continued to probe. "Restrainment for _who_?"

Blowing a stream of smoke from his thin lips, the Nara stood steady and spoke quietly.

" _Sasuke_."

The answer, while obvious, still came as a small shock to Naruto. His feelings towards the Uchiha had been unchanging, but still, the thought of people pouring in and out - all the while interrogating him - was... _unsettling_.

"Naruto, I also called you down from the roof for that same purpose," said Shikamaru, interrupting Naruto's thoughts. "I wanted to ask if you felt comfortable coming with me. I know that you've been wanting to see him. It can be arranged."

Without thinking, going based on impulse rather than weighing the situation, the blonde haired genin's glacier eyes became like stone. If he was going to be a valuable member of society, and eventually the _Hokage_ , he would not run. Romance scared him least of all, and in all honesty was the furthest thing from his mind. But he would confront it, if needed. He'd deal with it the same way he'd dealt with every other tough situation in his life; he would face it head on.

He had questions. And they needed to answered.

"Take me to _them_."

* * *

The room had fallen silent.

Two jonin waited in bated anticipation for an explanation to be offered.

Instead, Tsunade and Kakashi remained locked in the staring contest they had started over a minute ago. Time moved slowly. Neither flinched or moved. For a moment, Yamato was beginning to think about interjecting, against his better judgement. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, the two contestants erupted into loud, uncontrollable laughter. It startled Yamato to the point where nearly stumbled backwards into the shelves behind him. He looked over to Shizune, hoping to find her comforting gaze, only to find she had sunken to the ground in shock.

"I thought you'd forgot, you dummy!" said Tsunade, whose head was still thrown backwards.

Kakashi had keeled over, holding his stomach and wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Of all ways to tell me; _this_?"

The laughter continued, to the point of near breathlesness, until minutes later when they both regained their senses and calmed down. Yamato had moved to the opposite side of the room, helping a dizzy Shizune off the floor and onto the couch.

Still as confused as ever, Yamato leaned in. "Hokage-sama, what's the big idea?" he whispered, raising a brow.

With a serious look and eyes of conviction, she peered directly into the wood style user's brown orbs.

"Hatake Kakashi is to take his oath as _Rokudaime_ _Hokage_ within the week."

The storm continued to rage outside, the sound of thunder over the mountains shaking the very foundation of the academy. Yamato's eyes flicked back and forth between the Godaime and his senpai. His shoulders slowly began to shake. Worried that they may have sprung the news to early onto him, both of his seniors reached out to make sure he was okay.

Instead, they received Yamato's famous haunting expression.

"Ehhhhhhhhhh? _THAT'S_ _the big secret?!_ "

His expression changed, and his hands reached up to clutch bunddles of his hair.

"EVERYONE KNOW'S THAT!" he roared, frightening the duo.

Kakashi held his hands up, feigning innocence. "Yamato, calm down. The Hokage was just playing a j-" he choked back his next words. His attempt to comfort was met with a resisting glare. After taking a deep breath, the Hokage finally spoke.

"I asked Shizune here to document the event. And _you_ are here to act as a witness to the transferal of power," said the Hokage. She looked up with gentle eyes, and a frown. "Truly, you are the closest thing that Kakashi has to a family."

Feeling a pang of guilt in his heart, Yamato's face went blank. Both he and Kakashi had leaned on each other heavily as young men. The younger shinobi had his senpai to thank for nearly everything _good_ that had happened to him. Kakashi helped give him a home. Helped him find purpose. In a life that had been filled to the brim with misery, Hatake Kakashi managed to make those around him feel valuable - even if he wasn't always good at verbally expressing himself.

Yamato was still curious about the meaning of branch. He wanted clarification, at least. But instead of digging any deeper, he bowed his head.

Tsunade let out a sigh, before interrupting his thoughts. "Now is not the time for apologies. Besides, theres nothing to be sorry for. This is a joyous occasion!" she bellowed. "Shizune!"

Jolted back into consciousness by her master's roar, the female jonin's eyes opened, revealing bloodshot eyes.

"We need you to document this properly," said the Hokage, lowering her voice to a normal speaking volume.

Recognizing her masters sincere stare, the Hokage's assistant lept into action. In an instant, Shizune gathered her papers off of the floor, placing them on the Hokage's desk. She brought her hand together and wove two seals. In a puff of smoke, a piece of parchment appeared in her hands. The paper seemed ancient, but well taken care of.

Disoriented though she was, Shizune had been practicing these ceremonial customs since before the war, in anticipation of this very moment. Shizune then removed a thin brush from within her breast pocket. Every movement had purpose. Kakashi and Yamato didn't know it yet, but the formalities had begun.

 _This was the ceremony_.

"We'll keep this simple," started Tsunade. The serious aura around her had all but dissipated. Rainfall made the faint sound of a rolling drum on the tin roof of the inn across the way.

Kakashi had never taken notice of how Tsunade's voice had always sounded so rough. So...masculine. But at this very moment, her voice sounded _soft_ and _feminine_.

"For a while now, I have received counsel from many advisers. Many of them have sadly passed on. Two of them stand in this room at this very moment."

She rose from her chair.

"The consensus was unanimous. _You_ are to become the Sixth."

Eyes widened. Pulses quickened. But Kakashi remained stone faced. The sound of a rolling drum grew louder. Though the moment was indeed expected, the reality had not quite set in for the three members of the Hokage's audience.

"The Shodaime and Nidaime established the very foundation on which the village functions. As a successor to their great legacy, it is _your_ job as the leader of the Village to make it's citizens safety your _top_ priority. Your primary responsibility is to protect the people, not the village itself. Understood?"

Ever the attentive soldier, the white haired jonin answered quickly with a firm nod.

Tsunade continued.

"You know the importance of this position.." she tapered off. The Hokage pivoted to look out the window, watching the raindrops race to the bottom. Her eyes shifted to the bottom wooden pane of the window closest to her desk.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

"You are young still, Kakashi," she said. "And as such, you are undoubtedly going to make a lot of mistakes. Do your best to learn from them. I hear _learning_ and _adapting_ used to be what made you legendary."

Kakashi frowned. His reputation was attached to the sharingan that was gifted to him, which was now gone.

"However," Tsunade stated. "You were not chosen on the basis of something as trivial as fame. You were chosen because you are undoubtedly the most well-rounded, talented shinobi we have.

"Not the strongest," _an image of Might Guy engulfed in blue chakra flashed through her head._

"Not the fastest," _a memory of the moment Naruto bolted across an entire battlefield._

"And not the smartest," _a memory of one of her many games of shogi with Nara Shikamaru followed._

"But you are the most well-rounded. In time, that may change," she teased. "But as of right now, you are the finest Konoha has to offer. If ever a time of crisis arises, I have no doubt in your ability to lead. No doubt, that you are the most capable."

Tsunade turned back to face her to-be successor. His eyes remained as steel, showing no shift in emotion. Listening carefully to each and every word she'd said. _That ANBU training coming into play huh?_ she mused.

The air in the room seemed to cease its movement, remaining stagnant for only a moment.

With tears in her eyes, she suddenly remembered Jiraiya, her _Sannin_ teammate. Among the topics they last discussed with each other was who the potential suitors for the title of the Sixth Hokage. She wiped a tear from the corner of her right eye, and stood firm.

"I suggest you get all of your affairs in order in the coming days. As of next week, you are to assume your responsibilities as the new _Lord Sixth_ : **_Rokudaime Hokage, Hatake Kakashi_!** "


End file.
